Synopsis

Stalked by Demons, Guarded by Angels: The Girl with the Eating Disorder is a window into the depths of dysfunction experienced through bulimia, anorexia, binge eating disorder, self-harm and suicidality. She is shocked to find herself voluntarily admitted into a psychiatric facility. Twice. Simone exposes intimate details of flawed relationships from her childhood that unwittingly instilled messages of self-loathing and inadequacy. Messages later reinforced by western society’s over-emphasis on the importance of beauty and thinness for women.

The key figures in her story are her grandmother, parents and siblings during her formative years, and her husband, children and intimate circle of close friends in her adult years. She explores these key relationships and how they shape her - for better and for worse - over the decades. Stalked by Demons, Guarded by Angels is a vulnerable insight into an often hidden world. It doesn’t pretend to answer all the questions or solve all the problems but instead attempts to elicit an understanding of behaviours many people might find inexplicable.

Simone’s journey into the world of psychological recovery is raw and personal, as full of relapse and regret as it is hope for the future. Her road to recovery is not a destination but rather, learning a new way of being. She leaves the reader with a vision of freedom from disordered eating - as she imagines it to be.

Sales arguments

• Approximately 15% of women will experience an eating disorder at some point during their life (Wade, 2006).
• An estimated 20% of females have an undiagnosed eating disorder (NEDC, 2012b).
• Almost half the total population (45.5%) experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime. (National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007)
• Only one third of people (34.9%) with a mental health disorder used health services for their mental health problem – and two thirds of people with a mental health disorder did not report using services for their mental health disorder. (National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2007)
• Childhood emotional neglect (CEN) is not a form of childhood abuse because it is far more subtle than that. In fact, it is best described as an absence of something. It's an absence of emotional awareness in your childhood home. Growing up without emotional awareness may seem insignificant to many but CEN is actually somewhat of a gaslight of the child. It is a mind-altering experience. (www.psychcentral.com)

Similar titles

• 'Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia' bears a strong resemblance to my memoir in that it is a deeply personal and shockingly intimate portrayal of life as an anorexic. Marya Hornbacher, Harper Perennial, 27 May 2014
• 'Dancing on My Grave: An Autobiography' examines anorexia in the 1980s ballet world. It is similar to my memoir in that it explores the themes of eating disorders, self loathing and the judgment of women's bodies, but with an emphasis entirely on anorexia the story is significantly different. There are very few memoirs on life as a bulimic. Gelsey Kirkland, Doubleday, 1 October 1986
• 'Life Without Ed: How One Woman Declared Independence from Her Eating Disorder and How You Can Too' is a self help book for women with bulimia. Like my memoir, it is a vivid window into the world of bulimia, but unlike my memoir it is a self-help book offering suggestions and solutions. My memoir is a story offering insight into women's experiences in a modern world. Jenni Schaefer, McGraw-Hill Education, 12 January 2004

Audience

Not only is this memoir a personal account of living with bulimia nervosa, but women from all walks of life can relate to Simone's story of coming to terms with body image and womanhood in a western culture obsessed with beauty and youth.

Advance praise

"Well, I am on the floor. Stalked by Demons, Guarded by Angels is a devastating read. It was tough. I recognized so much of myself and so many women I know in the manuscript. It goes without saying that your writing is superlative; I very much enjoyed your writing style and using the present tense, first-person narrative was just perfect for the book. There are so many moments of beauty and pain. As I read, I wish I had a highlighter in my hand to mark up those words that resonated for me or gave me hope. It’s that kind of book."
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Julie Gray, Author of "The True Adventures of Gidon Lev: Rascal. Holocaust Survivor. Optimist."